The Long Blondes – 'Giddy Stratospheres' (Rough Trade) Released 05/02/07

Along with sensible laws about things like killing, happy slapping and incest that the population of this fair isle abide by (some better than others), it seems that a worrying suppression of our human rights is taking place right beneath our noses – namely, the fact that saying anything rude about Sheffield's trendiest band, The Long Blondes, appears to have been made illegal. Well, forgive me if I'm bucking a trend here, but what the hell is so special about this? Single 'Giddy Stratospheres', like the band themselves, has garnered rave reviews across print and web for their trendy haircuts, aloof posing and juddery art-school rock. However, and perhaps this is me just completely missing the point, it's all spectacularly pedestrian for a group constantly referred to as 'the next big thing.'

It isn't dreadful. Singer Kate Jackson is sassy enough to carry off some pretty hackneyed lyrics (" is she a femme fatale?/ that's what she wants you to think/she'll never lead him astray/ but it's the best she can do") and the band manage to cobble together a spiky enough guitar line, but there's more than a whiff of Elastica b-side here, especially when the shouted backing vocals kick in (which, incidentally sound EXACTLY like the ones in The Automatic's 'Monster'). Don't believe the hype, kids.